Acetylene-gas generator.



. W. WEBB.

AGETYLENE GAS GENERATOR.

APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1912. 1,067,565, Patented July 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

W. WEBB.

AGBTYLBNE GAS GENERATOR. APPLICATION FILED MAR. 8, 1912.

Patented July 15, 1913.

2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

l wlmmo QM o /ow UNITED TATF PATENT FFTQE.

WILLIAM WEBB, or YPSILANTI, MICHIGAN.

AGETYLENE-GAS GENERATOR.

To all whom it may concern Be it known that I, \VILLIAM VEBB, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Ypsilanti, in the county of l Vashtenaw and State of Michigan, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Acetylene-Gas Generators, of which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to improvements in acetylene gas generators and its object is to provide a construction which is such that the necessity for a gas bell is dispensed with and a very safe and efiicient construction is secured.

A further object of the invention is to provide certain new and useful features in the discharging mechanism for the carbid and to provide a device with certain other new and useful features, all as hereinafter more fully described and pointed out in the claims reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which Figure 1 is a transverse vertical section through a device embodying the invention; Fig. 2 is an enlarged sectional detail of the float and carbid discharging mechanism; Fig. 3 is a front elevation of the discharge spout shown in the upper portion of Fig. 2; and Fig. i is a sectional detail of'the same.

As shown in the drawings 1 is a suitable receptacle or tank which is preferably formed of cement or like material and set in the ground with its upper end projecting a short distance above the surface of the ground. This tank is formed with a contracted lower end 2 forming an inclined shoulder or surface 3 at the inner side of the tank and a wall or diaphragm a is secured to the wall of the tank adjacent to the angle formed by the contracted lower end portion thereof and extends inward and slightly upward to a cylindrical dome 5 forming a gas chamber which is open at its lower end into the contracted bottom of the tank 1. The upper end of the dome is closed by a cap or head 6 bolted thereto and this head is formed with an axial chute 7 upon the upper end of which is secured a magazine S of any suitable form for containing carbid. This magazine has a feed opening in its top which is tightly closed by a cover 9 detachably secured in place in any suitable manner as by a bridge bar 10. The lower end of the chute 7 within the dome 5 is turned laterally in an inclined direction Specification of Letters Patent.

Application filed March 8, 1912.

Patented July 15,1913.

Serial No. 682,504.

toward one side of the dome and to prevent the carbid from falling through the lower end of the chute, a measuring bucket 11 is pivotally attached thereto to turn within the lower end of the chute upon a transverse pivot 12. This bucket is extended at one side to form a nose or discharge end therefor which is adapted to swing close to the side wall of the dome. The bucket is formed with sides 13 which are the same width as the depth of the chute and also with a bottom 14 which is extended upward concentrically with a pivot 12 of the bucket to form a back 15 therefor, which, when the bucket is in open position, extends across and shuts off the lower end of the chute. When the bucket is turned upwardly or in closed position as shown in Fig. at, the upper edge of the back 15 is turned out of the path of the carbid which will fiow down into the bucket and fill the same.

To prevent the carbid from getting into the angle between the back 15 of the bucket and the bottom of the chute, and thus preventing the free turning of the bucket, a flap 16 is pivoted at 17 within the chute and extends across the same with its free end resting upon the back wall 15 of the bucket. When the bucket is in open position the flap extends across the chute and cuts of the flow of carbid and when the bucket is in closed position the flap, riding upon the edge of the wall 15 falls into the bucket and permits a charge of carbid to fill the bucket. The discharge end of the bucket is preferably closed by means of a door flap 18 which is pivotally connected at its upper edge between the end walls of the bucket and is adapted to swing into engagement with the edges of said walls and close the discharge end. This door is provided with a weight 19 to hold it closed against the pressure of the carbid containedin the bucket until said bucket has been turned to the position indicated at a in dotted lines in Fig. 2, or nearly in open position, when said door will open quickly by gravity and the charge of carbid contained in the bucket will be discharged at once.

To automatically swing the bucket and intermittently discharge measured quantities of carbid according to the consumption of gas, levers 20 are secured to the pivots 12 of the bucket and the free ends of these levers are connected to a float 21 by means of links 22 and a cross bar 23 which is pivotally at tached by means of an eye 24, to the top of the float. The float is guided in its vertical movement within the dome 5, by being secured upon a rod 25 which extends therethrough and downward into a hollow post 26 which forms a vertical guide for the rod. This post also forms a support for the wall or diaphragm 1 by securing to its upper end braces 27 extending outwardly to the wall 4 adjacent to the angle formed by the meeting of said wall and the wall of the dome 5.

To lower the float 21 into the position shown in Fig. 1 and thus prevent the operation of the bucket and the escape of carbid from the magazine, the lower end of the rod 25 is provided with a transverse pin 28 which projects outwardly through slots 29 in the sides of the post 26, and a forked lever 30 provided with a slotted and forked end to engage the pin 28, is pivotally supported intermediate its ends at 31 upon a bracket secured to the bottom of the tank 1. Extending downward from the diaphragm t within the contracted lower end of the receptacle 1, is an open ended pipe 32 which affords communication between the chamber below the diaphragm and the annular chamber above the same around the dome A red 33, chain or other means for actuating the lever 30 is attached to one end of said lever and extends upward through the pipe 32 to near the top of the receptacle 1 where it may be grasped by the operator and the float depressed thereby and the bucket held in closed position to prevent further discharge of carbid.

The upper end of the receptacle 1 is closed by a suitable cover 3st and an inside cover or closure 35 is provided a short distance above the dome 5 and near the bottom of the magazine to prevent dirt, etc., from getting into the lower portion of the tank. The rod 33 is preferably extended upward through an opening in this inside cover so that it may be readily operated. A gas pipe 36 is connected to the cover 6 of the dome 5 and leads laterally outward through the wall of the tank to deliver gas to any desired point, a valve 37 is provided in this pipe so that the gas supply may be cut off if desired.

A water pipe 38 extends through the wall of the tank and downward therein to the bottom of the lower end thereof. This pipe is preferably connected to a suction device or pump so that the water, sediment and residue from the carbid may be sucked out of the bottom of the receptacle.

In operation the tank or receptacle 1 is filled with water up to a desired level within the upper chamber surrounding the dome 5. In filling this chamber the water will flow through the pipe 32 into the chamber below the diaphragm 4 and rise in the dome to the level of the water in the chamber surrounding the dome. This rise of water within the dome will lift the float 21, and carbid having previously been placed within the magazine 8, the bucket will be turned by the float and a measured quantity of carbid discharged into the water. Gas will at once begin to form and rise into the top of the dome 5 where its only chance of escape is through the service pipe 36, the magazine being tightly closed against the escape of gas by its cover 9 and the head 6 being securely bolted to the dome to prevent any leakage. The gas rising within the dome will create a pressure therein upon the water and force the water downward out of the dome as shown in Fig. 1, the water rising in a corresponding ratio within the chamber surrounding the dome. There is no chance for the gas to escape into the chamber around the dome above the diaphragm A as the pipe 32 which forms the only communication between the chambers above and below the diaphragm, is sealed by the water. The amount of water within the chamber above the diaphragm thus determines the gas pressure within the dome. As the water is forced out of the dome by the gas pressure, the float 21 will fall and.

turn the measuring pocket into closed position to receive another charge of carbid, and when the gas has been used out of the dome sufficiently to permit the water to rise therein and lift the float, the bucket will again.

one and accurate operation of the device is insured as there are no moving parts which are liable to stick or bind preventing their operation. The construction and operation of the bucket also gives an accurate and even discharge of measured quantities of carbid and a very simple and efficient device is secured.

Obviously changes in the details of construction and arrangement of parts may be made without departing from the spirit of my invention and. I do not wish to limit myself to the particular form or arrangement shown.

Having thus fully described my invention what I claim is 1. In an acetylene gas generator, the combination of a receptacle, :1 gas dome in the center of said receptacle open at its lower end into the lower portion thereof, a wall dividing the lower portion of the receptacle from. the upper portion to form a lower water chamber and an upper water chan1- ber surrounding the gas dome, a tube extending from said wall to near the bottom of the lower chamber and through which tube said chambers are in communication, a pivoted feed member within the upper end of the gas dome, a float within the gas dome connected to the pivoted feed member to turn the same upon the rise and fall of the float within the dome, a guide rod carried by the float extending downward within the bottom chamber, and means extending downward through said tube connecting the chambers, into the upper chamber for operating the guide rod to depress the float and hold the feed member in closed position.

2. In an acetylene gas generator, the combination of a receptacle adapted to contain water in its lower end, a wall within the lower end of said receptacle dividing the same into an upper and a lower water chamber, a dome on the wall forming a gas chamber in the center of the upper water chamber, said dome being open at its lower end into the lower water chamber, a carbid magazine supported upon the upper end of the dome having an opening in its upper end, a cover to tightly close said opening, a chute for conducting c-arbid from the magazine into the upper end of the dome, a feed member pivotally attached to the lower end of the chute, a float within the dome connected to the feed member to turn the same, a guide rod carried by the float, a guide for said rod extending downward within the lower chamber, a lever to engage and move the rod, and means attached to the lever extending upward within the receptacle to near the upper end thereof for actuating the lever.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM WEBB.

Witnesses:

TRACY L. TOWNER, LEO D. CAMP.

Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents, Washington, D. G. 

